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First Tech Challenge (FTC) Robotics

FIRST TECH CHALLENGE (FTC), robotics,
is a program of
exploration for children ages 9-14, which is designed to get children excited
about science and technology - and teach them valuable employment and life
skills. FTC Core Values are the
cornerstones of the FTC program. They are among the fundamental elements that
distinguish FTC from other programs. By embracing the core values,
participants learn that friendly competition and mutual gain are not separate
goals, and that helping each other is the foundation of teamwork. The
core values are:

We are a teamWe do the work to find
solutions with guidance from our mentors and coachesWe know our coaches and
mentors don't have all the answers; we learn togetherWe honor the spirit of
friendly competitionWhat we discover is more
important than what we winWe share our experiences
with othersWe display *Gracious
Professionalism* and *Coopetition* in everything we doWe have fun

Each fall, FTC teams
around the world are provided with an annual Challenged on firstlegoleague.org. The Challenge is based on a set of real - world problems
facing scientists and engineers today. The Challenge has 2 parts: The
Robot Game and the Project. In the Robot Game, teams
design, build, program, and test autonomous robots using Lego Mindstorms
technology. The robots are designed and programmed by team members to
perform a series of tasks, or missions, during 2 1/2 minute matches on a
playing field (mat) which reflects the real world theme for the season. In the Project, teams
research a real-world problem related to the season's Challenge theme.
Then they create an innovative solution to that problem (either by creating
something that doesn't exist, or by building upon something that does).
The teams are expected to share their research/results with others.

FTC at Hillside:On the first day of school
at Hillside, announcements are made regarding how to apply for the team. Each team can have up to 10 members.FTC meets at least 2 days/week after school
for 2 hours each, increasing to a third day as needed. It is a HUGE
commitment for a child; meetings cannot be missed, as kids fall behind quickly
and it is unfair to the other team mates to pick up the load.

Here is our most recent publication about our robotics club! Click on the link below!